“You two need to mind your fucking business and leave me alone. You shouldn’t even be looking at this.”
Leo joined them, bringing a whole pizza box with him to see what they were arguing about.
“Christ!” Drago started packing up the papers.
“Third one down should be a seven, not an eight.”
He grabbed the bridge of his nose. “Fucking hell.”
“Is she right?” Leo asked with a mouth full of pizza.
Even Chloe came over with her pizza to see what he was going to say as he started punching the numbers in.
The eraser hitting the paper was their answer.
Maria’s cackling filled the space.
Drago, however, put down the pencil and stared intently at her. “What’s a thousand four hundred and forty-five times eight?”
Swallowing the pizza, she gave him the answer. “Eleven thousand five hundred and sixty.”
It was Maria who grabbed the calculator from him to see if she was right. “Holy shi—”
“Whoa!” Leo dropped his pizza, so impressed that he wanted to see her do it again. “What’s five hundred and six divided by twelve?”
“Forty-two point one seven.”
The blond punched it in the calculator. “She’s right again.”
Even Chloe was fascinated. “W-What about nine hundred and eighty-seven dived by three hundred and nine?”
“Three point one nine.”
Leo was the one to snatch the calculator from his sister’s hand, putting it in. “This is so cool! She’s like a human calculator.”
“I suppose.” She shrugged before looking at Drago, whose eyes hadn’t left her. “Here.” Leaning over, she took the payroll paper, placing another paper over the names to cover them before grabbing a paperclip off another set of papers to hold it in place. That way she could do it for him quickly, and he wouldn’t worry about her seeing the names. Katarina couldn’t care less who got paid what; she just couldn’t watch him continuing to butcher the math. “May I?” she asked, holding out her hand for the pencil that was just out of reach.
He stared at her harder for a second longer. This time, they looked a lot like hers did when she’d felt like she was seeing him for the first time just minutes ago. Except this time… he was seeing her. Picking the pencil back up, he placed it in her much smaller hand.
His fingertips grazed her palm. She wondered if they stayed there for just a little too long. Is it working? Katarina smiled sweetly at him.
Looking over at Leo, she raised a brow. “Wanna time me to see how long it takes?”
“Heck yes.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “One… two…”
Cracking her knuckles and getting her pencil ready, she couldn’t help but notice the smile behind those strange ring-of-fire eyes.
“Three….”
It’s working.
“Go!”
Eight
Drago’s Girlfriend
Somehow, she, along with everyone else, ended up in an Escalade, and before she knew it, they were in front of the Kansas City Casino Hotel that was owned by the Caruso boss.
When Drago parked, Leo got out of the SUV quickly, opening it for them. Chloe, who was in the third row, got up to get out first but paused when Leo held out a hand.
Katarina only saw her pause for a split second, and even though she could get out of her side of the door like Maria did out of the passenger side, she instinctively scooted out the back seat taking Leo’s hand in hers. “Thanks, Leo.”
“No problem.” The young teen shook his head, clearly remembering something. This time when Chloe got out, he just held the door open without giving her his hand.
“T-Thank you.”
Walking toward the door, she could see confused looks on Maria’s and Drago’s face while they looked at her.
“How’d she….” Maria’s voice trailed off when Chloe came closer.
It was Leo who opened all the doors and led the girls into the huge casino and pressing the button for the elevator while Drago followed close behind.
Katarina couldn’t help but think how sweet Leo was, Lucca’s brother, knowing full well he would never be like his older brother despite his hopes.
With all of them getting into the elevator, she found it strange when Drago stood close to the buttons, blocking them from her view as he pressed a button to take them to their destination. Figuring he was doing it for safety reasons, she smiled. It was as if he didn’t trust his ‘future wife’ with that information, like maybe he hadn’t made his decision at all yet.
As they got off the elevator, it was Drago who led them this time. When he opened a door, she went in, but no one else followed her. Instead, they opened the next door.
“See ya later, Kat,” Leo told her with a wink before going in.
“Later.” What?
Chloe waived, actually, with a smile.
“Good luck, Kat.” Maria gave a chuckle before closing the door.
Huh?
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Drago told her, wanting her to stay here.